Rajasthan offers free air tickets to senior citizens for pilgrimages in India

Food and accommodation is also paid for by the government.

In a bid to increase the happiness index of Rajasthan, CM Vasundhara Raje re-launched the Deendayal Upadhyay Varishth Nagrik Teerth Yatra scheme that was started by the former CM of the state. However, the new and improved scheme offers a lot more perks. The scheme is for senior citizens to go on pilgrimages in the country, free of cost. The new addition is that the people will board a flight instead of a train and unlike the old scheme, this one will also bear their cost of lodging and food. Now, this seems like a comfortable way for senior citizens to travel to their favorite temples in the country. ALSO SEE A train for religious tourism to be launched by Indian Railways

The scheme is for citizens over 70 and the first batch of 30 people has already left for Tirupati. A total of 111 senior citizens were chosen to visit Tirupati this year. They will be sent once the first batch is back. But the scheme is not just for going to Tirupati, 225 citizens will be going to Jagannath Puri while 357 of them will go to Rameswaram.

The senior citizens were chosen from a lottery at random and the process was overseen by the Devasthan Department of the government. The scheme is a move to get the blessings of the elderly by keeping them happy and increasing the happiness index of the state in return. While there are such schemes in a few other states as well, Rajasthan is the only one that offers free air travel, accommodation and food. Kudos!

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